Redefining The Future Of Business At UNC Kenan-Flagler

Effective leaders need more than technical ability, they need the skills to translate knowledge into results in ambiguous and fast-changing environments. Through a collaborative, adaptive approach to business education, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School puts these skills at the center to prepare students to navigate uncertainty and deliver results with impact.

This approach fuels innovation across UNC Kenan-Flagler, marked by a reimagined Full-Time MBA Program experience and the opening of a new state-of-the-art building, Steven D. Bell Hall. Together they support UNC Kenan-Flagler’s commitment to delivering a world-class experience and maximizing students’ return on investment and career success.

Going Beyond Traditional Curriculum Updates

In 2026 UNC Kenan-Flagler will launch significant enhancements to the Full-Time MBA Program that support a fully integrated student journey with added flexibility in the core curriculum. Through structured career pathways, students will have extensive opportunities to put what they learn into practice, engage with cutting-edge data and industry experts, and experience comprehensive leadership development. They will graduate ready to drive results and inspire change.

“We’re excited about delivering knowledge in new ways, exposing students to cutting-edge data and real-world problems to prepare them for success. This approach equips them with relevant skills to thrive now and provides adaptive knowledge to support their careers for years to come,” says Michael Stepanek, associate dean of MBA programs.

Students will experience a thoughtful, integrated pathway through their MBA, and take advantage of:

A flexible and tailored curriculum: To align with their career goals, students will choose when to take specific core classes and begin taking elective courses in their first semester. The core curriculum will include essential career skills courses, expanded internship preparation, and a data, technology and AI sequence that prepares them with essential skills for recruiting and thriving in their internships.
Structured career tracks: Students will build progressive knowledge and learn how to apply it to solve complex problems in an industry-relevant context through a short, sequenced set of courses – in fields such as consulting, energy, healthcare, corporate finance, investment management, marketing and real estate.
Even more real-world experiences: Students will learn by doing, working with firms’ real data and gaining hands-on experience that directly translates into their careers after graduation. Career practicums and industry seminars will connect students with thought leaders and practitioners to access relevant knowledge and networks that set them apart in the job market.
Technology, data and AI sequence: A new course sequence that specifically focuses on communicating with data will build on the large and diverse set of courses in which analytics, technology and AI are already integrated. Students will leverage cutting-edge tools to analyze data, develop actionable insights, learn to communicate with a variety of stakeholders, and navigate the ethical, effective use of AI for decision-making.

Leadership And Teamwork At The Core

UNC Kenan-Flagler is renowned for its commitment to developing strategic, collaborative leaders. Its culture of collaboration is core to the MBA experience – students push each other to succeed, they work hard and play together, and together they develop the skills to make thoughtful decisions and inspire excellence. This mindset carries into how graduates lead in their careers after graduation.

“I wanted to surround myself with high-achieving individuals committed to helping others. At UNC Kenan-Flagler, I found a community focused on developing leadership skills through genuine support and collaboration,” says Taylor Jackson Pratt (MBA ‘23). “I was challenged to think about my impact on others, push my limits and become a more effective leader.”

Teamwork begins at orientation, where all students join a Legacy group – a small group of peers within each cohort who share academic and social experiences. With a small class size, students get to know all of their classmates and take classes with their entire first-year cohort during the fall semester, which builds relationships fast.

Leadership is woven into the Full-Time MBA experience, through group projects and simulations in the classroom, in co-curricular opportunities to practice teamwork in real-time, and beyond the classroom in student club leadership and advisory board roles. These experiences – and the opportunity to practice, receive feedback and reflect – develop increased self-awareness and equip students with the skills to effectively manage conflict, solve problems and lead change.

A New Home In Bell Hall

State-of-the-art Bell Hall will open for classes in early January 2026, doubling the space for teaching, student life and networking events. As the new learning hub for the community, Bell Hall is designed to foster connections among students, faculty, staff and alumni – bringing the UNC Kenan-Flagler community together in dynamic and inspiring ways.

Students will learn in classrooms equipped with advanced technology that provides flexibility for innovative teaching strategies with an experiential focus. They’ll also build relationships in collaborative lounges and gathering areas and enjoy outdoor spaces for study sessions and social events.

Built with student wellness in mind, its design takes full advantage of the surrounding wooded environment to create spaces conducive to learning, collaboration and social interaction. Its sustainable design features energy-efficient systems and renewable materials to reduce the school’s carbon footprint over time.

The University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School develops and inspires leaders who make the world a better place. Guided by core values of integrity, inclusion, innovation, and impact, the Full-Time MBA, Executive MBA, and Online MBA programs—as well as specialized master’s programs and undergraduate business program—are consistently top-ranked and located in one of the best states for business.

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